The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, which is provided with a linear encoder for detecting a position and a moving rate of a carriage in the case of recording an image while reciprocating a carriage having a recording head of an ink jet type mounted thereon in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a recording medium.
As a conventional image recording apparatus, for example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-077514 (Refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-081691 (Refer to FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4), a linear scale of on optical system linear encoder extending along a primary scanning direction in order to detect a position and a moving rate of a carriage having a recording head of an ink jet type mounted thereon has been well known.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-081691 (Refer to FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4), a guide shaft formed in a round shank for reciprocatably supporting a carriage to discharge ink drops toward a lower side in a primary scanning direction and a shield plate for reciprocatably driving the carriage, which is longer than a belt for conveyance of a recording head in a horizontal direction, are arranged. A band-like scale (a tape scale) is extended so as to pass through an optical sensor part provided on a side surface in a longitudinal direction of the carriage, and the shield plate is arranged so as to partition the belt for conveyance of the recording head (a no-end belt) and the tape scale.
In addition, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-011340 (Refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3), a printer apparatus having an ink cartridge which is left at rest in a main body housing of the printer apparatus and connecting a carriage thereto by means of an ink supply tube has been publicly known.